NEW DELHI: Amid the ongoing tussle of the Left Democratic Front government with the Governor, the Kerala High Court has on Monday quashed the appointment of K Riji John as Vice- Chancellor of Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, in view of violations of UGC selection norms.
Allowing two writ petitions challenging John's appointment, a bench of Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chali directed the Chancellor to constitute a search-cum-selection Committee for recommending a panel of names to the Chancellor in accordance with regulation 7.3 of the UGC Regulations, 2018, at the earliest possible time.
The development came as a shot in the arm for Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, who initiated the process for removal of 10 V-Cs of the state universities for breach of selection norms based after the Supreme Court order, passed in October, quashing appointment of Rajasree M S as V-C of APJ Abdul Kalam Technolgical University, Thiruvananthapuram.
The court held that the selection of John as the V-C of KUFOS was overlooking the UGC Regulations, 2018, (and) cannot be sustained under law.
The court further pointed out that it was an admitted fact that the appointment of the search-cum-selection committee and the Vice- Chancellor was made by the Chancellor in terms of the provisions of the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies Act, 2010, though not fully.
Therefore, we have no hesitation to hold that the constitution of the Selection Committee and the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor admittedly done on the basis of Section 33 of Act, 2010, cannot be sustained under law," the bench said.
John was among the 10 V-C who were asked to resign by the Governor.
According to UGC regulations, the V-Cs should be selected from three names by the search-cum-selection committee. The committee recommended only Johns name.
The state government had opposed the Governors move to sack the V-Cs.
On Saturday, the Pinarayi Vijayan government sent an Ordinance to Khan to remove him from the post of Chancellor of universities in Kerala.
Khan, for his part, hinted that he might refer it to the President.
The ruling CPM government also planned a Raj Bhavan march to lodge its protest against the Governor's decision.
